1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to spinning type fishing reels, and more particularly, relates to a self-centering and anti-reverse mechanism both incorporated into the housing of the reel that permits no more than one counterclockwise rotation of the winding cup.
2. Background of the Prior Art
It is known in the prior art, in limited areas, that it is possible to incorporate an anti-reverse and self-centering bail mechanism into a spinning style fishing reel. This particular mechanism was first employed by the Langley Manufacturing Company about twenty years ago and is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,773,655. This particular mechanism was incorporated inside the rotor cup and external to the gear housing of the fishing reel. The Langley device had limited use and constantly caused a problem for fisherman in that in order to use the device a fisherman would have to get his hands in the way of the fishing line. It became obvious that this desirable self-centering and anti-reverse feature should be incorporated in the back housing of a reel to be advantageous to the fisherman. Many spinning reels were made thereafter incorporating the anti-reverse mechanism that was controlled at the rear of the fishing reel but no such device incorporated the self-centering bail feature. This failure of the prior art to teach the incorporation of both an anti-reverse and self-centering bail mechanism has up to now remained unsatisfied.